WATER LATEST: Alert could be lifted ‘soon.’

United Utilities' scientists yesting samples

Published:10:48Tuesday 11 August 2015

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Lancashire’s drinking water scare could be over “soon” according to a United Utilities’ boss.

Gary Dixon, the company’s domestic retail director, has reassured the public that the battle to eradicate the cryptosporidium bug from supplies to Preston, South Ribble, Chorley, the Fylde Coast and parts of Blackburn is being won.

Tests, particularly at the Franklaw Treatment Plant near Garstang, are now producing clear samples.

And, in a video posted on the United Utilities’ website, Mr Dixon said: “We are doing the right things and we are absolutely confident that with the action we are taking we will be able to lift this boiled water notice soon.”

More than 300,000 households across the areas affected have been warned to boil all water used to drinking, cold food cleaning and even brushing teeth.

The alert was first posted last Thursday after traces of the parasite, which can cause an unpleasant illness, were found in samples coming from Franklaw, which delivers 140m litres of water a day into the network.

“We are seeing an improving position,” added Mr Dixon. “This boiled water notice was only put in place as a precautionary measure. The levels of cryptosporidium found were quite low anyway.

“But we have seen over the past few days these levels coming down more and more to a very minute trace.”